History

My accident occurred on a Monday night right after I just got back from Las Vegas with my best friend Megan from visiting her adorable sister and best friend of mine, Caitlin and her mother, Nancy. I had the time of my life in Las Vegas, there I celebrated my 21st birthday and created some of the best memories of my life. We returned on a Sunday and I decided to stay in Des Moines and miss out on class Monday in order to get back into the swing of things.

That Monday night, I went out with Megan's boyfriend Joe and his good friend Scott. We had a great time (even though I don't remember it) and after we left, something happened that would change my outlook on life indefinitely. Scott was driving us home on Interstate 235 going east when nearby the 35th St. exit he merged over too far in the lane and lost control and car began to flip. I was in the back seat without a seat belt on, and somewhere during the ongoing car flipping out of control, I too was ejected from the vehicle and was left in the middle of the interstate.

Fortunately where the crash site was was only a half a mile from the paramedic and fire station. When the paramedics came upon me I was not breathing....almost dead. They then transported me to the hospital where I was immediately put on life support. After they completed a several xrays and catscans, they notified my family that I had broken the biggest bone in the neck, the C2, Picture of neck vertebrae in which to correct the problem I would have to be in a halo brace. The doctors also said that my brain was bruised and bleeding so they had to wait before screwing the halo brace on and into my head.

Once the swelling of my brain went down, they put on the halo brace. Apparently, I did not like having four screws screwed into my head, but I do not remember due to all of the pain medication they had put me on. After I was released from the intensive care unit, I began full days of therapy. Physical, occupational, speech, you name it, I did it. I was slated to be in the hospital for two months, but I was only in there for two weeks (I only remember being in there for four days) and was slated to be in the halo for three months of which I only spent 9 weeks (which was plenty) in the halo brace. After that, I was in a neck brace for 8 weeks off and on.